The High and Low Moments Of The 2022 Emmys

If there's one thing we've seen this year, it's that award shows are odd and, on some occasions, very dramatic events. The 2022 Emmys proved this. It featured several history-defining moments, some hilarious ones and some awkward ones too.

From Jennifer Coolidge dancing to play-off music to Sheryl Ralph's grand acceptance speech, we have all the best high and low moments of the 2022 Emmy.

1. Highlight: Sheryl Lee singing 

For the first time in 35 years, a black woman, Sheryl Lee Ralph, won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy series. This was for her exemplary role in Abbott Elementary. She decided to mark the historical moment with amazing singing and an inspiring, powerful speech.

"To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream, and thought your dream wasn't, wouldn't, couldn't come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like," Sherly said.

2. Low moment: The opening dance routine

Kenan Thompson truly put on a show, but it just didn’t click right. 

3. Highlight: Quinta Brunson winning

The night was an absolutely terrific one for "Abbott Elementary." Quinta Brunson, the creator of the show, won the award for Best Writing for a Comedy Series. She had already made history as the first black woman in the comedy category to receive three different nominations. She also received nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

4. Low moment: Jimmy Kimmel lying on the stage during Brunson's speech

Picture this: A woman standing on the stage at an awards ceremony, making a speech. Meanwhile, there's a man beside her, lying down without any movements staring up at her.

At the Emmys, Jimmy Kimmel was dragged onstage by Will Arnett just before Brunson was announced as the winner. He relays to the crowd that Jimmy Kimmel has lost quite a bit, so he found himself a little too deep into the margaritas. However, while Brunson came to give her speech, Kimmel stayed put. He layed there all through her speech. Podcast host Sam Sanders likened the entire fiasco to a stinging metaphor, and one has to agree with him.

5. Highlight: Jennifer Coolidge dances to the playoff music

Jennifer Coolidge had quite a number of people to appreciate after getting her Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. This was for her part in "The White Lotus." However, Emmy's crew wasn't having it and decided to play her off after just 70 seconds.

What did Coolidge do in response? She just stayed there and danced to the play-off song.

6. Low moment: Emmy snubs for a number of our favorites

Two older men in suits sit at a circular table. Severance, Yellowjackets, Only Murders in the Building, and Better Call Saul were all up for notable awards, and all seemed to be pretty decent contenders for winning a couple of these awards. Sadly not. Steve Martin and Martin Short lost to Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso). Julia Garner (Ozark) beat Rhea Seehorn in her category. Yellowjackets didn't have any wins, nor did Severance.

7. Highlight: Lee Jung-Jae's Squid game win

Squid game was an extraordinary dystopian epic put on Netflix. Its main character, Lee Jung-Jae, made history after becoming the first Asian actor to take home an award for Best Male Actor in the Drama category. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the director, Dong-hyuk, for bringing real-life problems to the big screen in a creative manner and with a great script.

8. Low moment: Kia's ad

This was probably a bit too much. To think that there was a full three-minute commercial right in the middle of the Emmys was a tad much. 

9. Highlight: Lizzo's speech 

Lizzo took home the award for Competition Program Emmy for her work with "Watch Out For The Big Grrrls." Afterward, she came to the stage and gave an inspiring and powerful speech.

Lizzo said, "When I was a little girl, all I wanted to see was me in the media. Someone fat like me, Black like me, beautiful like me. If I could go back and tell little Lizzo something, I'd be like, 'You gonna see that person, but b*tch, it's gonna have to be you.' "

10. Highlight: Brett Goldstein staying in character

At last year's Emmys, “Ted Lasso” star Brett Goldstein stayed in character as Roy Kemp on the show by swearing, perhaps a bit too much. As one might expect, he didn't seem to learn his lesson.